Tourist bed



May 19,1925; A J. H. BOWLBY TOURIST BED 5 sheets -sfie t;

gave Min:

May- 19, 1925.

J. H. BOWLBY TOURIST BED 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 20, 1923 Patented May 19, 1 925.

l @UNITED STATES JAME s'H. BOWLBY, or savomauns, KANSAS.

1,538,379 PA EN TQ F CE;*

TOURIST 13ED.

Application filed November 20,1923. Serial No. 675,827.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James H. BoWLBY, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Savonburg, in the county o frAllen and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in TouristBeds, of which the following is a. specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing;

The present invention relates to tourist beds, and aims to providea novel and improved col;lapsiblebed and shelter to be carried by automobiles and othervehicles, the device being particularly useful vfor tourists to provide adequate and convenient sleeping while camping accommodations for or touring. 7

Another object. of the invention is the provision of a foldable bed frame'that can be folded within small space adjacent tothe vehicle, and which has automatically folding legs to supportthe framefrom the ground when the frame is unfolded. -A. further-object is the provision of a casing for housing the bed frame, which will also provide a cover orv shelter for the bed when the parts are unfolded for use.-

Another object is the provision of such a casing having combined therewitha novel folding shelter or roof forthe bed.

A still further object is the provision of novel means for holding the folded bed frame in the casing, and for conveniently releasing said framewhen it is desired to unfold same.

The invention has for another object the provision of a 'casingforthe bed frame which'can also provide atable.

With the foregoing and' other objects "in view, whichwill be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and claimed, itbeing understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without de- 3 parting from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein v Figure l is a side elevation of the structure infunfoldedposition, ready for use as a bed, portions being brOken'away;

"Fig. 2 is an end view 'of the device, with the parts in-the position as shown in Fig. 1, portions being broken away and shown in section. b

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the-line 3-3 of Fig. 2. v 4. v

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the device .Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig.

ing the cover of the casing in position to serve as atable top. p Fig. 7 is an end View of the folded bed frame, showing a modified means'for holdingsame in place.

The casing, which may be constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material. coinprises the body 10 and front section or cover 11, which are hingedly connected at their upper edges by the hinges 12, whereby the cover 11 can be swung forwardly and upwardly. The casing is elongated longitudinally to be disposed atone side of the hen folded, taken on the line of Fig.

Fig.6 is an end view of the device showbars 13 are secured to the back wall of the 1 I body 10 and the lower ends of the bars are bolted or otherwise fastened, as at 1 1,'to the outer edge portion or flange of therunning board .15,while the upper terminals of. the bars 13 areextended inwardly, as at. 16,

to form brackets to be secured to the top i The bed frame comprises the sections 18 and 19 hingedly connected by the-rule joints 20 whereby the frame can be broken fupwardly, at the longitudinal center, and

the sectionsfolded together with their lower surfaces confronting. The section 18 is hing'edfas at 21,within the lower portion of the casing body 10, to permit said section 18 to swing upwardly and rearwardly against the back of the casing, when' folding the bed frame. flexible fabric 22 therein of linked, coiled or otherfabricated wire, which fabric can fold with the frame. V -;-The inner edge of the bed frame, being The frame has a suitable hingedly connected with the body 10 of the casing, is supported from said casing body, and the outer section 19 of the bed frame is supported by legs 23 which are pivoted, as at 24, to the section 19. In order to automatically fold and unfold the legs 23, they have extensions 25 projecting above the pivots 24, and links 26 are pivoted to the extensions 25 and are also pivoted, as at 27, to the frame section 18 near the hinges or joints 20. The arrangement is such that when the'sections 18 and 19 of the bed frame are swung together, the links 26 pushing on the extensions 25 of the legs, will swing the legs toward the hinges or joints 20, behind the links 26, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. Conversely, when the frame is unfolded, the links 26' will cause the legs 23 to swing into position for supporting the section 19 of the bed frame. In this way, the: legs 23 are automatically folded and unfolded with the bed frame, and said links also provide braces for holding the legs 23 upright when the bed frame is unfolded.

The bed frame, when folded and swung into" the body 10 of the casing, is held in such folded position by means of spring latches 29 secured to a depending flange 28 with which the upper portion of the rim of the body 10 is provided under the cover 11. The joints 20 of the bed frame are arranged. to snap under and behind the latches 29 so as to hold the bed frame snugly in place within the casing. Said latches thus hold the opposite ends of the bed frame in place and prevent the. frame from rattling or vibrating- As a means for conveniently disengaging bothlatches 29 simultaneously from the bed frame, to release the bed frame for unfolding motion, a rock shaft 30 extends along the edge of the flange 28 and is journaled in bearings 31 carried by said flange. The rock shaft is provided at its opposite ends with cranks 32 extending across the latches 29, and said shaft has a crank handle 33 intermediate its ends. lVhen the handle 33 swung inwardly or rearwardly, the cranks 32 press the latches 29 inwardly and upwardly out of engagement from the bed frame, thereby enabling the frame to be moved out of the casing. One hand can be used for moving the handle 33, while the other hand is used for swinging the bed frame out of the casing.

The casing cover 11, when swung upwardly, provides part of a shelter or roof for the bed and to complete such protection a leaf or plate 34 is hinged, as at 35, within the rim of the cover 11 at the free edge of said cover, so. that the leaf-34 can be swung into thecover 11 when not in use, and can be swung downwardly and outw-ardly whereby the cover 11 and leaf 34 provide a gable roof or shelter, as seen in Fig. 2. The leaf 34 has flanges 36 to contact' with the rim of the cover 11 for limiting the movement of the cover and leaf when swung apart. In order to support the roof or shelter, props 37 are pivoted at their lower ends, as at 38, to the outer edge portion of the frame section 19, and have keyhole shaped openings 39 in their upper terminals to engage headed studs 40 provided within the rimof the leaf 34 at the free edge of said leaf. Thus, when the cover 11 is swung upwardly and the leaf 34 is swung forwardly, the props 37 can be swung upwardly and fastened to the leaf 34 by engaging the studs 40 rearwardly through the openings 39.

hen the parts are unfolded and fastened as described, the bed is ready for use, and the roof or shelter is fixed so that it will not become displaced by the wind. The roof thus affords adequate and eflicient protection against rain, the cover 11 and leaf 34 shedding rain inwardly and outwardly beyond the inner and outer edges of the bed frame, and curtains can be hung from the roof to enclose the bed frame if desired.

The structure can be folded together quickly and conveniently. Thus, the studs 40 are lifted and withdrawn from the openings 39, and the props 37 are swung clownwardly along the outer edge of the bed frame. The leaf 34 is swung intothe cover 11. The free edge portion of the leaf 34 preferably has a resilient catch 46 to frictionally engage a block 47 carried by the cover 11, in order to hold the leaf 34 in folded position, but permitting the leaf to be swung out of the cover when sufficient force is applied to overcome the friction of the catch 46. The bed frame is then broken upwardly and the sections 18 and 19 thereof folded together. At the same time, the bed frame is swung upwardly and rearwardly into the casing body 10, the joints 20 of the bed frame snapping under and be hind the latches 29. The cover 11 is then swung downwardly against the body 10' to enclose the bed frame and other parts within the casing. The flanges 36 pass between the rim of the cover 11 and. the links 26, as seen in Fig. 5, and the cover 11 is fastened to the body 10 by any suitable means. As shown, the rims of the body 10 and cover 11 have flanges 41 and 42, respectively, which can be secured together by the bolts 43 when a tight joint is desired.

The cover 11 of the casing can also be usedas a tabletop when swung upwardly to horizontal position, as seen in Fig. 6; The cover or table top 11 is supported by braces 44, which, as shown, have their ends inserted through apertures in the flanges 41 and 42,v although the braces can be attached to the body and cover of the casing in any suitable manner.

frame section 19, said latch being depressed by a leaf spring 29% A spring catch or latch 29 is carried by the body 10 at the bottom thereof to snap into engagement with the frame section 19. Thus, the latch 29 holds the lower portion of the frame section 19 in place, while the latch 29' holds the hinged portion of the frame in place. By releasing the catch 29 and swinging the section 19 outwardly, the bed frame is automatically disengaged from the latch 29. When the frame is doubled upwardly andfolded, the lug 29 snaps under the latch 29 while'the frame 19 snaps over the latch 29.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is I 1. A bed comprising a casing and a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into the casing, said casing including foldable members arranged to be unfolded above the bed frame, when the bed frame is unfolded, to provide a gable roof. I

2. A bed comprising a casing, a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into the casing, said casing including foldable members arranged to be unfolded above the bed frame,

. when the bed frame is unfolded, to provide a gable roof, and means for supporting said members from the bed frame.

3. A bed comprising a casing and a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into the easing, said casing including hingedly connected members arranged tofold together and to be swung apart so as to provide a gable roof above the bed frame when the bed frame is unfolded.

4. A bed comprising a casing, a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into the casing, said casing including hingedly connected members arranged to fold together and to be swung apart so as to provide a gable roof above the bed frame when the bed frame is unfolded, and props for supporting said members from the bed frame.

'5. A bed comprising a casing having a body and a cover hingedly connected, a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into the body, said cover being arranged to swing upwardly, and a shelter member carried by the cover, said cover and member being arranged to be moved apart to provide a gable roof above the bed frame when the bed frame is unfolded.

6. A bed comprising a casing having a body and a cover hingedly connected, a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into the body, said cover being arranged to swing upwardly, a shelter member carried by the cover, said cover and member being arranged to be moved apart to provide a; gable roof above the bed frame when the bed frame is unfolded, and means for supporting said member from the bed frame.

7. A bed comprising a casing having a body and a cover hingedly connected, a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into said body, the cover being arranged to swing upwardly, and a shelter member hingedly connected with the cover to fold against the cover, said member and cover being arranged to swing apart to provide a gable roof over the bed frame when the bed frame is unfolded.

8. A bed comprising a casing having a body and a cover hingedly connected, a foldable bed frame arranged to fold into said wardly, and ashelter member hingedly connected with the cover to fold against the cover, said member and cover being arranged to swing apart to provide a gable roof over the bed frame when the bed frame is unfolded, and props for supporting said member from the bed frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JAMES H. BOWLBY. 

